State sees rise in retirement inquiries

Officials with the state Department of Employee Trust Funds say there is a massive increase in the number of public employees asking about retirement options.

Department spokesman Matt Stoehr says calls received by the agency have jumped from the average of 1,500 to nearly 6,000 a day.

Stoehr says specific reasons have not been made available, but the increase is likely due to the Governor’s budget repair bill and provisions that will limit the collective bargaining rights of most public employees.

Stoehr says the agency has been having trouble keeping with the flood of calls. People are either receiving a busy signal or are being directed to the Department’s website, which was updated to include tools that help answer many of the common questions state workers may have about retirement.